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Dan Micciche Head Coach
England U16s
Stuart English Assistant Academy Manager
Birmingham City FC
Ruben Jongkind Director of Talent Development
Cruyff Football
Michael Beale Foundation Phase Head of Coaching
Liverpool FC
Jose Barcala Garcia Head of Coaching
Deportivo La Coruna
Edu Rubio Head of Coach Development
MK Dons FC
+ many more world-class player developers.

LEARN FROM THE WORLD'S MOST INNOVATIVE COACHES.

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The Blog Context is Key Ben Franks

Do you understand the context of your coaching environment? PDP contributor and associate lecturer at Oxford Brookes University, Ben Franks discusses the issues around…

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Friday Q&A 20 must read books for coaches

20 Must Read Books for Coaches   The question this week comes from Pete, via Twitter: “What books do you…

Dave Wright
Dave Wright

Research Reviews Excellence in Coaching: The Art and Skil...

Albert Einstein was said to have said this about the nature of research: “If we knew what it was we…

William A. Harper
William A. Harper

The Blog Sporting Governance

What influence does sporting governance have on player development and the athlete environment? Mark Upton, founder of myfastestmile, discusses how…

Mark Upton
Mark Upton
2 minutes

Session Plans Switch & Counter

PDP Video Session Plans are adaptable sessions designed by academy coach, Dave Wright. All sessions show key focus points, set up, and progressions so you can use them in your next practice.

Dave Wright
Dave Wright

Friday Q&A What are the best 9v9 formations, and wh...

What are the best 9v9 formations, and why?   The question this week comes from John, via the PDP Facebook…

Dan Wright
Dan Wright

The Blog Game Sense: Cricket

Game sense, how do we develop it? PE Teacher & regular PDP contributor, Sporticus shares his innovative approach to PE…

Sporticus
Sporticus
5 minutes

Masterclass Discussions Behind the Scenes at The RFU: Russell Ea...

In this fantastic interview with England U18 Rugby Coach, Russell Earnshaw, PDP Editor, Dave Wright dives into a conversation with...
Dave Wright
Dave Wright

Friday Q&A If player development is not about winni...

If player development is not about winning, what is it about?   The question this week comes from Tony, via…

Dan Wright
Dan Wright

Session Plans Breakout

PDP Video Session Plans are adaptable sessions designed by academy coach, Dave Wright. All sessions show key focus points, set up, and progressions so you can use them in your next practice.

Dave Wright
Dave Wright

Friday Q&A What is the benefit of a player-led trai...

What is the benefit of a player-led training session?   The question this week comes from Liam, via the PDP…

Dan Wright
Dan Wright

The Blog Manage the Game

Game management and understanding how to control a match are important elements for young players learning any sport. So how…

Ben Bartlett
Ben Bartlett
4 minutes

Friday Q&A What is your advice to a beginner coach?

What is your advice to a beginner coach?   The question this week comes from Mikael, via the PDP Innovation…

Dave Wright
Dave Wright

WHAT IS PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT?

A COLLECTION OF RESOURCES FOR COACHES WHO WANT TO BE THEIR BEST.
BECAUSE THE WORLD’S BEST COACHES ARE ALWAYS LEARNING.

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MASTERCLASS DISCUSSIONS

A video library of 30-90 minute webinars and discussions with experts.

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VIDEO SESSION PLANS

A video library of practical session plans for coaches.

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INNOVATION SPACE

An exclusive members-only forum for discussing all things player development.

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PDP MAGAZINE

In depth articles from expert writers and contributors.

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RESEARCH REVIEWS

Concise summaries of the most cutting edge athlete development research.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES

A CURATED SELECTION OF TOP PDP CONTENT.

Masterclass Discussions Advice from the Academy

Edu Rubio is a UEFA Pro Licensed coach who works at MK Dons as the Head of Coach Development &…

Dave Wright
Dave Wright

The Magazine The Value of Values

Want to keep reading? This article is Premium PDP Magazine content for our members only.But don’t worry, you can start…

Hanna Eggestrand & James Vaughan
Hanna Eggestrand & James Vaughan
8 minutes

The Blog Poles Apart

Coaching can be a balancing act. When should coaches step in and help and what approach to teaching should you…

Sporticus
Sporticus
3 minutes

Session Plans GFU: Run or Pass

PDP Video Session Plans are adaptable sessions designed by academy coach, Dave Wright. All sessions show key focus points, set up, and progressions so you can use them in your next practice.

Dave Wright
Dave Wright

The Blog Creating Positive Sports Environments

Resident positive psychology expert, Lara Mossman discusses how to create positive sports environments for developing players. In this challenging article…

Lara Mossman
Lara Mossman
6 minutes

Research Reviews Sport-Specific Practice and the Developm...

When asked about his early years, hockey great Wayne Gretzky, said: “I played everything.  I played lacrosse, baseball, hockey, soccer,…

William A. Harper
William A. Harper

Masterclass Discussions Spanish Style & The Value of Rondos

UEFA A Licensed Coach, Kieran Smith joins us for a discussion on The Spanish Style & The Value of Rondos....
Dave Wright
Dave Wright

The Magazine The Pursuit of Illusion

The difference between a good player and a great player can often come down their ability to consistently show creativity…

James Vaughan
James Vaughan
8 minutes

Session Plans Shooting From Distance & Combinatio...

PDP Video Session Plans are adaptable sessions designed by academy coach, Dave Wright. All sessions show key focus points, set up, and progressions so you can use them in your next practice.

Dave Wright
Dave Wright

The Blog Are We Beating Them Into A System?

Systems tend to dominate organisational thinking in the modern age. So how do these systems potentially harm player development and…

Mark Upton
Mark Upton
2 minutes

The Magazine The Importance of Self Reflection

There has been a lot of past research focusing on developing the reflective skills of coaches through a technique called…

Sean Douglas
Sean Douglas
4 minutes

Friday Q&A What are some different communication st...

What are some different communication strategies I can use with my players?   The question this week comes from Michelle:…

Dan Wright
Dan Wright

The Magazine Embracing the Chaos

When we picture a proactive approach to player development, many people see structure and methodical organisation as a sign of…

Stuart English
Stuart English
6 minutes

Research Reviews The Language of Football: A Cultural Ana...

Just over 50 years ago Marshal McCluhan published a book entitled Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man. Its shorthand mantra…

William A. Harper
William A. Harper
Kids play street football in Spain. Photo: Dani Vázquez

The Magazine The Spanish Effect

Spanish football is constantly seen as a model for success in player development. Regular PDP Contributor & Founder of TOVO…

Todd Beane
Todd Beane
4 minutes
Western Bulldogs AFL team.

Masterclass Discussions Coaching Insights from the AFL Champions

Daniel Giansiracusa is a former professional AFL player who ran out for the Western Bulldogs 265 times over the course...
Dave Wright
Dave Wright

Session Plans Changing the Point of Attack

PDP Video Session Plans are adaptable sessions designed by academy coach, Dave Wright. All sessions show key focus points, set up, and progressions so you can use them in your next practice.

Dave Wright
Dave Wright

The Magazine Who We Are Is How We Play

I have quit jobs, moved countries and become – to use my friend’s words – an ‘intellectual hobo’ in search…

James Vaughan
James Vaughan
6 minutes
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Nick Levett
Nick Levett Talent Identification Manager, The FA
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Michael Beale
Michael Beale Foundation Phase Head of Coaching, Liverpool FC
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Dan Micciche
Dan Micciche England U16 Head Coach